Barry Ellsworth
21 July 2026•Update: 21 July 2026
Ontario Premier Doug Ford fired back Monday at US President Donald Trump, who threatened tariffs if smoke from Canadian wildfires continues to drift into American states, polluting the air.
“Rather than sit there and complain, why don’t we see some help from President Trump?” Ford said.
There are currently around 200 wildfires in northern Ontario.
“Send up some water bombers, send up some wildland firefighters, but then again they have thousands of fires going in the US right now but you don’t hear Canada ever complaining.”
In a letter to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney last week, four border state lawmakers were sharply critical of Canada’s efforts to get the blazes under control and if not, they warned of American action.
Trump entered the fray with his post on Truth Social.
“We are holding Canada responsible for the fact that they are not properly maintaining their Forests, and Brush therein, and the United States is being unnecessarily invaded by filthy, polluted, and unhealthy air, the quality of which is dangerous, and totally unacceptable!” he wrote.
The smoke also blankets much of Ontario, with Toronto holding the dubious title as the worst polluted major city in on earth at one point.
Trump also complained about the smoke directly to Carney when the two were together for the FIFA closing ceremonies on Sunday.
Carney has responded to the criticism by blaming climate change, and Ford argued the wildfires are a global problem.
“It happens around the world … No matter if it’s France or Ireland or other places around the world, in Australia …,” he said. “We just believe in supporting our neighbors. And it’s unfortunate that the president doesn’t believe in supporting our neighbors,” Ford said.
